Will of Catherine Arroll
from Newfoundland will books volume 1 pages 420 to 422 probate year 1843

In re
     Catherine Arroll       deceased.

In the name of God Amen. I Catherine Arroll widow of the lately deceased Robert Arroll of the Town of Saint John's in the Island of Newfoundland being at present in a delicate state of health but of perfect sound and disposing mind and memory thanks be given unto God therefore calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it appointed for all men once to die do make and ordain this to be my last will and testament in manner following that is to say, First and principally of all I give and recommend my soul into the hands of Almighty God that gave it, and my body to the earth to be buried in decent Christian burial, and as touching such worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me with in this life I give bequeath and dispose of the same as followeth, I desire and request that my funeral expenses and any lawful debt due of me at the time of my death shall be paid and discharged as soon as possible after my interment. A few years ago I have deposited at interest in the Savings Bank of of St. John's the sum of three hundred pounds currency and I give and bequeath to my beloved daughter Margaret the said three hundred pounds with the interest arising therefrom in manner following, that is to say, if she contract matrimony, one hundred pounds with the interest thereon is to become a dowry for the joint benefit of herself and her supposed husband at the time of her marriage, and the remaining two hundred pounds with interest thereon shall be and always remain as her exclusive right and for her own private use and benefit. And it is my particular desire and request that her supposed husband shall have no legal right or claim power or authority whatsoever to demand receive or appropriate to his or their own use or uses by any ways or means the aforesaid sum of two hundred pounds or the interest growing therefrom, or any part of parcel thereof, any marriage settlement or lawful claim to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding.
I have lately deposited in the Bank aforesaid the further sum of one hundred pounds at interest and I give and bequeath to my beloved son Robert Arroll the said sum of one hundred pounds with the interest thereon.
I give and bequeath to Margaret and Robert by even and equal shares all my household furniture and effects also all my household property also all outstanding debts not due to me, and in the event of making two shares of the furniture effects or household property Margaret in all cases is to have her choice of the shares, she is also to superintend the domestic business and always obtain her support in the house without any payment, Robert shall have no power to controul her, neither shall the wife of Robert should he contract matrimony. I also desire and request that Robert from time to time and at all times shall pay the rent of the dwelling house from his portion of this my bequest, and that Margaret by no means at any time shall be liable to pay any portion of the rent, and if Robert or Margaret shall die without leaving lawful issue the survivor shall inherit all the monies property and effects of the deceased.
The monies now in my possession shall be disposed of as follows, that is to say, after my funeral expenses are paid, I bequeath
to the Rt. Revd Doctor Fleming to aid in building the Cathedral £5..0..0 currency Ditto for his Lordship's private use £5..0..0 currency,
to Revd. Mr. Waldron to offer up Masses for my soul £2..0..0 currency,
Revd. Mr. Forristal £2..0..00 currency,
Revd. Mr. Connors £2..0..0 currency,
Revd. Mr. Cleary in Witles Bay £2..0.0 currency,
Revd. Mr. Troy in Merasheen £2..0..0 currency.
My executors will retain money sufficient to pay for 2 High Masses for my soul, and the remaining monies on my hands to be equally divided between Robert and Margaret
the Holy Order of which I am a member will have a High Mass offered up for my soul, and one month after such High Mass is offered another is to be offered up for me, and also another High Mass (in all 3) at the end of a year from the last mentioned, and if my beloved children aforesaid shall think it proper they may have more High Masses offered up for my soul.
And I nominate and appoint Mr. Valentine Merchant and Henry Devereux to be the executors of this my last will and testament. And I do hereby utterly disallow revoke and disannul all and every other or former testaments wills legacies bequests and executors ratifying xx this and no other to be my last will and testament.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal at Saint John's Newfoundland this twenty fifth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty three. Catherine her x mark Arroll (LS)
Signed sealed published pronounced and declared by the said Catherine Arroll as her last will and testament in the presence of us the subscribers, Henry Devereux, N.P.    Valentine Merchant.
All the cloths belonging to the tailoring trade now in the shop is to be solely the property of my son Robert. I also desire that the monies which shall become due to me from the Mechanics Society shall be paid over to the Revd. Mother of the Presentation Convent of St. John's for the benefit of herself and the nuns of that establishment My son Robert shall have no power or right to divide my present dwelling house to sell out his interest therein or to divide the household furniture without the full and free consent of Margaret. Catherine her x mark Arroll
Signed on the day above mentioned in the presence of Hy. Devereux, N.P.    Valentine Merchant.
Friday, first September 1843. As my daughter Margaret has been married this morning with my consent, it is my desire and request that she is to receive from the Bank the one hundred pounds hereinbefore bequeathed to be paid as her marriage portion, the remaining two hundred pounds in Bank bequeathed to her is to be at her own entire disposal and her husband Joseph White shall have no right or claim to the whole or any part of the said two hundred pounds, and if it shall so happen that Margaret and her husband shall continue to dwell in my present dwelling house they shall be liable and is hereby bound to provide for an support themselves without requiring any aid or support from Robert, and they shall also be liable and bound to pay one half the rent of the house I now occupy during the time they shall inhabit it. I leave four suits mourning to, say, my sister, my sister's daughter Catherine Power, my niece Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Cullen. Catherine her x mark Arroll.
Witness present,   Hy Devereux,    Valentine Merchant,   John Dicks.

Certified Correct,
D. M. Browning
Registrar